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China clinches fourth Sudirman Cup
2001-06-03
SEVILLE - Gong Zhichao glittered again as China beat Indonesia 3-1 in the Sudirman Cup world mixed team badminton final on Saturday to win the trophy for the fourth time in succession. Olympic champion Gong, instrumental in the semifinal win over Denmark, clinched the tournament with an 11-2 11-5 victory over world ranked 49 Yuli Marfuah, Reuters reported. On Friday, Gong, in a near perfect display, had blown away the world champion Camilla Martin 11-1 11-0, to pave the way for China to reach the final. The Chinese now looks a solid bet to relieve the Dane of her crown in next week's individual championships, which starts on Monday. Indonesia took the lead in Saturday's final, the climax of six days of competition involving over 50 nations, when Olympic men's doubles champions Tony Gunawan and Candra Wijaya proved too strong for Zhang Jun and Zhang Wei, winning 15-13 15-1. But China hit back in the women's doubles when Gao Ling and Huang Sui, world ranked six, thrashed Deyana Lomban and Etty Tantri 15-1 15-2. Then world number four Chen Hong beat Indonesian H. Hendrawan 15-12 13-15 15-10 to set up Gong. The Sydney gold medallist duly obliged to keep the Chinese stranglehold on the trophy as tight as ever. It was always going to be difficult in a mixed team tournament for the Indonesians who are currently suffering from a shortage of top class women. Against such stern opposition as the Chinese, they effectively started the tie 2-0 down with little expected from them in the women's singles or doubles. Indonesia coach Hadi Nasri said: "We had three bullets and you have to shoot five. If one of the three doesn't fire then you are in difficulty." The "bullet" that did not fire on Saturday was 29-year-old Hendrawan, although he battled all the way against Chen in a 73-minute match. Nasri defended picking the veteran ahead of Taufik Hidayat, world ranked three as opposed to 15 for Hendrawan and 10 years his junior. Hidayat had played well in the semifinals to beat South Korea's world ranked five Lee Hyun-il on Friday. But Nasri argued: "Hendrawan won his last match as well and he has more experience." The Sudirman Cup, played every two years, was inaugurated in 1989 when Indonesia were the winners but after victories by South Korea in 1991 and 1993, China won in 1995 and have held it since.
China's women take control at world badminton championships (2001-06-08)Olympic champion stunned at world badminton champs (2001-06-07)China clinches fourth Sudirman Cup (2001-06-03)China beats Indonesia for men's badminton gold (2000-09-23)Badminton-Xia and Gong take All England titles for China (2000-03-12)
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